Inter-vehicle communication device

An inter-vehicle communication device comprising:

• a terminal device configured to perform inter-vehicle communication through a wireless communication network, the terminal device being capable of switching its communication state between
• (i) a standby state in which the inter-vehicle communication performed by said terminal device is restricted such that only predetermined specified basic information is allowed to be communicated directly between an own vehicle and another vehicle via the wireless communication network, and
• (ii) a connected state in which said terminal device is allowed to perform the inter-vehicle communication at any time to communicate arbitrary information including information other than the predetermined specified basic information vehicle, said arbitrary information including information related to the own or another vehicle sent from the own or another vehicle and/or information related to a vehicle other than the own and another vehicles sent from the own or another vehicle;
• and
• a controller configured to selectively control said communication device to operate in either of said standby state or in said connected state, wherein
• said controller is configured to determine whether or not at least one condition of predetermined conditions is met based on information related to the own vehicle and/or the another vehicle,
• the controller controls said terminal device to operate in the connected state if it is determined that said at least one condition is met, and controls said terminal device to operate in the standby state if it is determined that none of the predetermined conditions is met, and
• said at least one predetermined condition is that the another vehicle is detected as running ahead of the own vehicle within a range of a predetermined distance from the own vehicle and the own vehicle is running at a predetermined speed or higher.

An inter-vehicle communication device comprising:

• a terminal device configured to perform inter-vehicle communication through a wireless communication network, the terminal device being capable of switching its communication state between
• (i) a standby state in which the inter-vehicle communication performed by said terminal device is restricted such that only predetermined specified basic information is allowed to be communicated directly between an own vehicle and another vehicle via the wireless communication network, and
• (ii) a connected state in which said terminal device is allowed to perform the inter-vehicle communication at any time to communicate arbitrary information including information other than the predetermined specified basic information vehicle, said arbitrary information including information related to the own or another vehicle sent from the own or another vehicle and/or information related to a vehicle other than the own and another vehicles sent from the own or another vehicle;
• and
• a controller configured to selectively control said communication device to operate in either of said standby state or in said connected state, wherein
• said controller is configured to determine whether or not at least one condition of predetermined conditions is met based on information related to the own vehicle and/or the another vehicle,
• the controller controls said terminal device to operate in the connected state if it is determined that said at least one condition is met, and controls said terminal device to operate in the standby state if it is determined that none of the predetermined conditions is met, and
• said at least one predetermined condition is that the own vehicle is within a range of a predetermined distance from an intersection.